There has been a recent surge in “virtual world” technologies that allow users to assume virtual identities (e.g. avatars) and possibly also to interact with other users online, such as Second Life, Habbo, Zwinky, Gaia, Club Penguin, Webkinz. These are typically accessed via dedicated websites and subscriptions, and are typically closed systems (i.e. a user in one virtual community cannot directly interact with users in other virtual communities). These online communities sometimes further offer virtual items that can be bought and sold within their virtual worlds, such as virtual furniture, virtual clothing, virtual real estate, etc.
One problem with existing “virtual world” products is that they typically require users to go to specific online destinations to assume virtual identities and acquire and use virtual items rather than allowing users to meet other users as well as pick up and use virtual items while browsing any website on the Internet. Accordingly, it would be desirable if a system was provided in which users could meet other users anywhere on worldwide web, as well as obtain and use virtual objects and virtual goods while they surf anywhere on the worldwide web.
Co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12/037,019, commonly owned by the present assignee, the contents of which being incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, dramatically advanced the state of the art by providing a method and apparatus for distributing virtual objects such as Virtual Collectibles. According to an aspect of the co-pending application, users can accumulate Virtual Collectibles in the process of casually surfing the web. The system detects what site(s) the user is visiting and determines whether to reward the user with a Virtual Collectible when the user enters or links to a predetermined URL, such as the URL of a partner website. By entertaining the user in the process of visiting a partner website, the user is more likely to remember and favorably view the partner and its products and services.
Although this functionality by itself vastly improves upon conventional means of promoting on-line activities, additional improvements are possible by further leveraging the discoveries and functionalities of the co-pending application, including improvements that even further overcome the above-described and other disadvantages. For example, the system of the co-pending application includes virtual world(s) where Virtual Collectibles can be displayed, used, and traded. Moreover, the system allows users to interact with other users in the virtual world(s). It would be desirable if the principles of the invention of the co-pending application could be extended to further reward users for becoming skilled and experienced in such virtual worlds, which can further cause them to continue using the system, and to attract others to the system, thereby directly or indirectly promoting on-line activities on partner sites.